Case study — One-on-one
Eighteen months on, the coaching is still paying back.
Rob finished coaching eighteen months ago. Since then he has founded his own company, and he still uses what he learned almost every week.
Rob Quirk · Founder & CMO, Birkby Bridge · Coaching experience: 10/10
Where it started
When Rob first came to coaching, his career was accelerating.
He was moving into a full CMO board-level role. His previous comfort zone had been execution — doing the work, delivering results and working alongside like-minded peers.
But greater seniority brought something different.
“When taking on more strategic responsibility and being exposed to bigger business problems, I could feel myself feeling out of my depth and finding it hard to show up to make decisions.”
He was constantly trying to prove his worth, and challenges or negative feedback could quickly feel threatening.
“I often found myself in fight or flight mode at the smallest of confrontations.”
Rob knew there was a confidence issue.
What he didn't have was a way of understanding what was happening or the tools to change it.
“I just didn't have the toolkit and I hoped coaching would take me on a journey to understand why I wasn't backing myself and give me the tools to grow.”
From “scared” to “prepared”
Today, Rob describes the change as transformational.
“I truly feel Claudia's coaching has completely transformed how I show up.”
His confidence is significantly higher and the anxiety that previously affected him day-to-day no longer dominates his thinking.
The difference isn't that difficult situations have disappeared. It's that he now knows what to do when they arrive.
“I have the tools to interpret and understand why I'm reacting in a certain way.”
He can recognise the triggers that previously sent him into what he describes as an “anxious mess”, understand what is happening and choose a different response.
“I'm now very selective on the lens I use to look through any situation rather than defaulting to survival mode.”
And when self-doubt does appear:
“I know that I back myself to figure it out and look at those situations as an opportunity to grow rather than fail.”
Asked for one word to describe himself before coaching, Rob chose: scared. His word today: prepared.
But perhaps the real test came after coaching ended
Rob's coaching engagement finished 18 months ago.
And that's what makes his experience particularly interesting.
Because the work didn't stop working when the sessions stopped.
“Many of the techniques and processes I learned over two years ago I implement almost every week.”
Rob describes the coaching less as something that temporarily made him feel better and more as an education:
“I would define Claudia's coaching as more of an education, then giving you the room to up skill yourself.”
That is the return that is harder to put on a spreadsheet.
You're not paying for an hour of coaching.
You're investing in how somebody thinks, responds and operates long after that hour has finished.
The return on that investment
Since beginning the work, Rob identifies returns across his career, leadership and life:
Promotion. Salary increase. Expanded responsibility. Greater leadership confidence. Stronger communication and influence. Greater stakeholder visibility. Better working relationships. Increased resilience. Less stress and overwhelm. Better work-life balance.
And ultimately: launching and scaling his own business.
“Without the growth and new mindset I achieved following the coaching I don't think I'd be where I am.”
Today, as the founder of his own company, he feels better equipped for the inevitable challenges ahead.
The people-pleasing and sacrificing of his own boundaries that once characterised difficult situations will, as he puts it, be “less common place”.
“This isn't just a series of pep talks”
Rob is also clear that coaching requires something from the person being coached.
“This isn't just a series of pep talks, it's a process that empowers you with new strategies and ways of working.”
And those new ways of working aren't always immediately comfortable.
“...that at first are uncomfortable and need practice, but if you put in the work you won't regret it.”
His description of the coaching itself perhaps explains why the learning has lasted:
“What Claudia does very well is explain the theory, put it in context of your situation, challenge you where needed and wait for your light bulb moment.”
And:
“There's an amazing balance of patience alongside direction that means every session you're noticing the progress.”
His recommendation
“I would 100% recommend Claudia.”
Rob QuirkFounder & CMO, Birkby BridgeRob Quirk's coaching engagement ended 18 months before he wrote this feedback. Every quotation is taken from his written responses.
The results, eighteen months on
- Founded his own company
- Rob credits the growth and mindset developed through coaching as helping equip him to launch and scale his own business
- Greater confidence
- In his leadership, decision-making and ability to back himself when things get difficult
- Less stress & overwhelm
- The high day-to-day anxiety he was experiencing is no longer an issue
- Still using the work
- Techniques learned more than two years ago are still being used almost every week
Every figure here comes from Rob's own written answers, given eighteen months after his last session. This is what was still true once the coaching had stopped.
Every one of these started with a conversation.
Initial consultations are free.